Austin Colbert/The Aspen Times
Ten years later, not much seems to have changed, at least on the racetrack. Just as they did ten years ago when they were just 25, brothers John and Pete Gaston teamed up to win the Audi Power of Four ski mountaineering race on Saturday, a throwback to their youth .
Unlike John, who is an active skimo World Cup participant and member of the United States national team, Pete hasn’t worn a lot of bibs over the past few years. But, when you’re called into the game by someone like John, you better be ready to compete.
“He’s been in a few other races over the years. But I think his last one was over five years,” John said after Saturday’s race from the Shadow Mountain base in Aspen. “But he’s my brother and we hang out and do a lot of events together and I know he’s one of the fittest people in this town and we ski the same way. I had a lot more confidence in him than he was in himself.
The Gaston brothers completed this year’s Power of Four, which takes riders to Aspen Skiing Co.’s four ski areas, in 4 hours, 53 minutes, 32 seconds. It was far from a breakneck pace – John and fellow national team member Cam Smith hold the course record, set only last year, at 4:15:21.38 – but it still puts them well ahead the runner-up duo of Joseph DeMoor and John O’Neill’s time of 5:37:53. Eric Poore and Michael O’Brien finished third in the men’s open division in 5:47:15.
It was Skico’s 12th year running the Power of Four, it was John’s 10th win, most alongside fellow Aspenite rider Max Taam, who didn’t race this year. John skipped the first Power of Four, held in 2011, but won the second in 2012 alongside partner and brother, Pete. Billy Laird and Brian Smith won in 2017, when John Gaston and Taam did not compete due to world championships.
In addition to their skimo exploits, the Gastons are best known for being the founders of Strafe Outerwear, with its main store located at the foothills of Aspen Highlands.
“He did exactly what I expected and got out there and smashed it. And he got a last minute call, I’ll say,” John said of Pete on Saturday. from Pete, he handled it like a champ. Putting in a few days of training, dealing with the stress pretty well. We didn’t have time targets, but we had the winning goal.
John had held out hope of eventually teaming up with Smith for a second year in a row. But Smith, who comes from Crested Butte via Rockford, Illinois, opted to compete in Europe last weekend. The two are arguably – although, in reality, no one is arguing – the fastest skimo duo in the United States right now.
Both will be central to the US Ski Mountaineering Association’s efforts to compete in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy, where skimo will make its Games debut. While the United States is making rapid progress in the sport, it still has a lot of work to do to catch up to most of Europe, where the sport is much more established. And, since the Olympic quota places largely depend on the success of the World Cup, the Americans simply hope to obtain the invitation in Italy, whether it is a single athlete or a couple.
Photos: Power of Four Skimo Race
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Aspen’s John Gaston smiles at his child from the base of Aspen Mountain after completing the annual Power of Four ski mountaineering race Saturday, March 5, 2022 in Aspen.
Austin Colbert/The Aspen Times -
Pete Gaston of Aspen regroups after reaching the base of Aspen Mountain after completing the annual Power of Four ski mountaineering race on Saturday March 5, 2022 in Aspen.
Austin Colbert/The Aspen Times -
Aspen’s John Gaston, right, and his brother Pete Gaston huddle after reaching the base of Aspen Mountain after completing the Power of Four annual ski mountaineering race Saturday, March 5, 2022 in Aspen.
Austin Colbert/The Aspen Times -
Aspen’s Pete Gaston, right, talks to his friend Max Taam from the base of Aspen Mountain after completing the Power of Four annual ski mountaineering race Saturday, March 5, 2022 in Aspen.
Austin Colbert/The Aspen Times -
John Gaston of Aspen reaches the base of Aspen Mountain after completing the Power of Four annual ski mountaineering race Saturday, March 5, 2022 in Aspen.
Austin Colbert/The Aspen Times -
Joseph DeMoor and John O’Neil react at the base of Aspen Mountain after completing the annual Power of Four ski mountaineering race Saturday, March 5, 2022 in Aspen.
Austin Colbert/The Aspen Times -
Caroline Tory hangs out at the base of Aspen Mountain after finishing the annual Power of Four ski mountaineering race Saturday, March 5, 2022 in Aspen.
Austin Colbert/The Aspen Times -
Josie Fisher hangs out at the base of Aspen Mountain after completing the Power of Four annual ski mountaineering race Saturday, March 5, 2022 in Aspen.
Austin Colbert/The Aspen Times
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Although he would have reached his late thirties by then, John is open to the idea of going if the stars align in his favor.
“I will certainly be a bit old. I think I can still be quite competitive in the individual race at that age, just because the current world champion is actually around 38,” John said. “It’s the biggest stage in the world and anyone who tells you they wouldn’t love to go to the Olympics and represent their country in their favorite sport is completely lying to you. I would be absolutely excited and it would be a huge honour, but I definitely not counting my chickens before they hatch.
Jordan Gaston and Caroline Tory won the women’s Power of Four race on Saturday in 5:55:55, edging Kristin Layne and Rea Kolbl by one second. Lyndsay Meyer and Sari Anderson finished third in 7:04:20.
Josie Fisher and Ed Warren won the Mixed Open Division in 5:40:41, which was fast enough to be third overall behind the top two men in the Open Division.
Full results are available here.
